Rochdale 1 Port Vale 0

ROCHDALE emerged with three valuable points and a confidence-boosting clean sheet from a nervy encounter with Port Vale on Saturday to keep pace with the automatic promotion race. It was a tense performance, lacking the fluidity and confidence we have come to associate with Keith Hill’s team. But following their demoralising defeat away at Bournemouth last time out, and shorn of the team’s experienced spine, the result was all that mattered, and few could argue the hosts were worthy victors.

WINNER ... Will Buckley applies the finishing touch to Chris Dagnall’s cross for the only goal of the game. (Pic: Vince Cole)

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ROCHDALE emerged with three valuable points and a confidence-boosting clean sheet from a nervy encounter with Port Vale on Saturday to keep pace with the automatic promotion race.

It was a tense performance, lacking the fluidity and confidence we have come to associate with Keith Hill’s team. But following their demoralising defeat away at Bournemouth last time out, and shorn of the team’s experienced spine, the result was all that mattered, and few could argue the hosts were worthy victors.

With Nathan Stanton suspended, Gary Jones and Lee Thorpe ruled out through injury, Hill made several changes to his starting line up.

Mark Jones was dropped from the squad completely, Clark Keltie returning from suspension to start in central midfield alongside Ciaran Toner. The duo were effective on the day, Keltie in particular catching the eye with an array of impressive passes.

Simon Ramsden moved across to rightback with Scott Wiseman dropping down to the bench and Marcus Holness came in at centre half following his loan spell at Barrow, lining up next to Rory McArdle.

Kallum Higginbotham made an unexpected return and Chris Dagnall was handed another chance to turn his form around – an opportunity he grasped with both hands.

Two corners in the opening minute from Higginbotham put the visitors on the back foot immediately, Tom Kennedy then testing Chris Martin with a 25-yard freekick.

Dale were close to an opener in the eighth minute when a sublime lofted pass from McArdle found Dagnall in the area. The striker drifted away from goal with his first touch and sent a snapshot across the bows, just wide of the far post.

Dagnall’s next effort was saved by Martin at his near post, but the bright start from the Dale forward offered an early indication he was back to his devilish best.

Port Vale looked strong down the left but limited in the final third, the set-piece by far their most potent weapon.

Dave Brammer’s inswinging corner almost caught out Frank Fielding early on, the Dale stopper scrambling the ball off his goalline.

The visitors hit the woodwork in the 13th minute when Brammer’s corner towards the back post was headed back into the mix by Robert Taylor and John McCombe was first to it, sending a thumping header onto the crossbar.

Those instances aside, they offered little going forward in the first period and found themselves pinned in as Dale applied pressure on their backline.

Buckley was played into space down the left by Dagnall in the 24th minute, carrying the ball into the area but overrunning it once the goal was in sight, Dave Flitcroft appealing for ‘end product’ from the sidelines. He didn’t have long to wait.

Lee Collins blocked another Dagnall effort before play was delayed for Higginbotham to receive treatment off the field. When the action resumed with a Simon Ramsden throw-in, Vale were caught napping. Ramsden picked out Dagnall and he raced into the area down the right channel before crossing for Buckley to score from three yards.

Taylor worked Fielding with a well-driven effort in the 38th minute but Dale continued to ask questions of the visitors.

Dagnall’s header from a Buckley cross was saved in the 42nd minute while McArdle was unable to keep his effort down from Keltie’s corner just before the break.

Rochdale dominated the second half in terms of possession, but the chances that came so thick and fast in the first period, all but dried up.

Vale had a half chance in the 72nd minute when Simon Richman’s shot was deflected over the top while Ciaran Toner’s tackle prevented Danny Glover testing Fielding after Dale’s defence had been opened up.

A late flurry of activity from the hosts almost produced a second to settle the nerves, Buckley linking up well with Dagnall in time added on but the striker’s effort turned round the post by Martin. Then, Thompson’s low ball across the face of goal somehow evaded everyone.

Dagnall was again denied the goal he deserved when Martin saved his fierce drive.